Pacers Would Send $188.9 Million All-Star to West Powerhouse in Blockbuster Trade

Jun 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (left) and forward Pascal Siakam (right) watch the ball go into the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) and forward Jalen Williams (8) during the first half during game two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

A bold new trade proposal sees the Indiana Pacers moving off the contract of one of their best players heading into the 2025-26 season.

It's already been a summer of tumult and change for Indiana.

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The Pacers have logged a combined 97-67 regular season record across the past two years, but they really stood out in the playoffs. Indiana advanced to a pair of Eastern Conference Finals, and the 2025 NBA Finals.

But the impressive core group that brought the Pacers to the promised land this summer has already been broken up permanently.

Two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first quarter of Game 7 of the Finals. He will miss all of 2025-26.

But more critically long-term, the Pacers are now on a quest for their new starting center. The previous vintage, 3-and-D big man Myles Turner, ditched Indiana for a four-season, $108.9 million contract with Central Division nemeses the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Pro Football Sports Network's Brandon Austin proposes a new blockbuster trade that would reroute three-time All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam to the San Antonio Spurs.

“Siakam is 31 years old and carries a $45.55 million cap hit for the 2025 season. His sizable contract could be used to bring in younger talent or draft capital. A trade would prioritize long-term flexibility, allowing the front office to fully embrace a reset after letting Myles Turner walk in free agency,” Austin writes.

In 78 healthy contests for the Pacers during an All-Star regular season run last year, Siakam averaged 20.2 points on .519/.389/.734 shooting splits, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per bout.

Moving on from their second-best player, in his prime, would be a risky move for the Pacers. Granted, Indiana showed a willing to ditch Turner, but he's far more expendable than Siakam, a versatile two-way talent. Team president Kevin Pritchard and GM Chad Buchanan have exhibited an impressive aptitude for finding young talent, but they also just traded to acquire Siakam at the 2024 deadline, and he helped lead them to a pair of Eastern Conference Finals.

Would a San Antonio package centered around younger, less proven pieces actually help the team more than Siakam when Haliburton does return? Color us dubious.

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